Boat and the method of constructing the same



Nov. 16, 1937. M, L, GILBERT 2,099,438

BOAT AND THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCIIING THE SAME Filed Feb. 21, 1936 2 Sheets$heet 1 'f--- 5" i i J6 a .3 2 J I INVENTOR. AM 11,, (pun ATT-ORNEY.

Nov. 16, 1937. M. 1.. GILBERT 2,099,438

BOAT AND THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE SAME Filed Feb. 21, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 17 1 1.. Qua/var Patented Nov. 16, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" Mark 1.. Gilbert, Holland, Mich, asslgnor to Gil- Boat Company, Holland, Mich, a corporation oi. Michigan Appllcation'February 21,1936, Serial No. 05,019

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a boat and the method of constructing the same and the method is adapted for use in constructing boats of various sizes and the invention lends itself to the construction of boats of various kinds.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of forming 'a boat whereby the boat may be formed from a sheet of metal so that the various parts thereof will consist of curved portions of a circular or cylindrical body in which the various sections havebeen re-arranged relatively to each other.

It is another object of the invention to provide a metal boat in which the use of ribs, keels-and similar reenforcements may be dispensed with.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a boat, preferably constructed'of metal, which will be light, durable, and offer a minimum amount of resistance when propelled through the water. Another object of the invention is the provision of a boat having a plurality of spaced, longitudinally directed, contact points connected by curved bottom-forming portions with the convex side faced inwardly so that these contact parts are connected with bottom-forming portions which are concave.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a boat of this class which may be economically manufactured, easily and quickly assembled, durable and highly efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a boat so constructed and arranged as to embody a minimum number of parts.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by a reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a boat embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1.-

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 with parts broken away.

Figl. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the prow is made.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blank from which the main body of the boat is made.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the first step of the formation of the body.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the second step in the formation of the body.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a third step in the formation 01 abody of a single sheet of metal.

fied form of the invention.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on line ll-ll of Fig. 10. i

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on line l2-i2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the blank from which the body of the boat shown in Fig. 10 is made.

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a step in the formation of the body shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 15 is a further step in the formation of the body of the boat shown in Fig. 10.

In the construction of various sizes of boats, the general process of manufacture is the same. While in describing the construction of the boats illustrated the process of manufacture will relate to the use of a single sheet of metal, it will appear, it is believed, obvious that the general process may be utilized even where several sheets of metal are necessary, as the several sheets may be welded along their meeting edges.

In the boat shown in Fig. 1 I use a blank of material l9 preferably metal, such as sheet steel, a sheet of duraluminum, or other suitable material. This sheet is cut to the pattern shown in Fig. 6 having the edges 20 and 2! extending at right angles to the rear edge 22. The forward edge is cut inwardly to provide the tongue 23 having the curved inner edge 245. A similar tongue 25 having the curved inner edge 26 is, provided on the opposite edge, leaving the center tongue 21 having the curved side edges 28 and 29. This sheet is then rolled into the interrupted circular form 30 as shown in Fig. 7 by a suitable rolling mechanism. The sheet is then bent outwardly so as to open the circle on the point or line 31 leaving the two curves 32 and 33 of equal dimension and of the same shape. Thesecurves are bent upon themselves centrally between their ends so that the arcuate bottom-forming portion 34 extends on one side of thecent'ral rib portion 3| and the arcuate bottom-forming portion 35 extends on the opposite side of the central ribforming portion 3|. These parts 34 and 35 are arcuate and the side walls 36 are also arcuate. The portions 34 and 36 form the half of the curve 32 and the portions 35 and 36 are thus made from the curved portion 33. bottom is provided with the contact portions 3|,

- 5 Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a slightly modi- 'I'hus, the

- and the supporting structure 51.

members which have 81 and 38. The prow-forming portion is illustrated in Fig. and is preferably made from a single piece of metal cut on the blank illustrated in Fig. 5 and folded on the medial line 38. The recess 48 is adapted to receive the tongue 81 and the tongues 4| and 42 extend into the spaces or slots 48 and 44, the curved surfaces of the tongues 25 and 23 engaging'the curved surfaces 45. These parts are then secured together, preferably by welding, and thus the body of the boat is provided, excepting that the back is open. To form the back, I use preferably a single sheet of metal having the back-forming portion 45 shown in Fig. 3, which is provided at its bottom with an outwardly bent flange 41 which is shaped to conform with the curvature of the bottom, and which engages the ends welded thereto. This plate 48 is doubled upon itself to provide the back rest 48, this doubled-over portion extending downwardly of the upper edge of themember 45 and parallel thereto and spaced therefrom. In this spacing is attached a filler block 49 formed from wood or the like. The back rest portion 48 is.angularly turned to provide the seat 50 and this seat is angularly turned to provide the supporting portion 5| which is provided at its lower edge with the flange 52 shaped to conform to the curvature of the bottom and welded thereto. The sides of the seat-forming portion as well as the sides of the back 45 are welded to the sides 35 of the boat, so that this sheet of metal serves to form a back and a seat and, at the same time, serves to re-enforce and connect together the the boat, I have indicated a seat which comprises the U shaped strip of metal shown in Fig. 3, the bight 58 thereof forming the seat portion and the legs 54 of the U shaped structure serving as the support. Each of these legs is provided with theoutwardly turned flange 55 which is shaped to conform with the curvature of the bottom and welded thereto. The ends of the legs 54, as well as the bight 55, engage the side walls 35 and are welded thereto. In the prow of the boat I also provide a suitable seat by" utilizing the single piece of metal and bending it into i, shaped construction to provide the seat construction 55 The supporting structure is provided with the flange 58 which is positioned to conform with the curvature 51 and is welded thereto. The end of the seat portion 55 is also welded to the prow of the boat, thus re-enforcing and uniting these parts. The ends of theportions 55 and 51 engage with and are welded to the side walls of the boat at the prow. It will be noted that the seat-forming been illustrated also serve as air ,tanks or buoyant bodies in the boat. The bacbfjorming plate is provided with the notch 59 "so that if desired an outboard motor may be fastened thereto and the use of the filler block side walls 35. Intermediate 8| which will serve to engage the water and which in high speeds will form the only part of the bottom which is in contact with the water. The boat lends itself particularly in construction of speed boats which it is intended to drive at excessive or high speeds. Experience has shown that with a boat constructed in this manner, a slapping or pounding or dancing of the boat over the water surface is reduced to a minimum and when the boat, for any reason, is raised clear of the water and returns, the contact points serve to absorb the blow and spread it over to the entire body so that sound is reduced to a minimum and excessive strain on any particular part of the boat is avoided.

In Fig. I have shown a modified form of construction which is adapted particularly for use as a life boat, so constructed that both ends are finished the same. This type of boat is formed from the pattern indicated in Fig. 13. The sheet of metal illustrated in Fig. 13 is. rolled into a cylinder as .described for the form shown in Fig. 6 and then the circle is bent along the line 53 to provide the central contact portion 64. The sides 55 and the bottom sections 55 and 51 are formed as described for the form shown in Fig. 6. Projecting upwardly from the sides are the tabs 58 and 59 which are bent downwardly and welded as at 18. The ends of these tabs are closed at 1| as illustrated in Fig. 12 so that there are thus provided on opposite sides of the boat the air chambers 12. The seats 18 are formed from U shaped structures as previously mentioned so that a 49 serves to provide the necessary body to which thereto in any desired manner and serve asa tie plate.

An examination of Fig. 9 and Fig. 4 will showthat the various parts referred to in these figures are present in both figures and there is thus provided the contacting portions 81, 38 and maximum seating capacity is thus provided in a boat of this type without losing any of the advantages, to any material extent, of the form shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 14, when the side wall is bent upwardly the tab 58 will project sufilcient distance for the folding-over arrangement, but the arcuate formations are maintained throughout in both types of structures. This arcuate formation, in addition to providing the advantages already enumerated, lends considerable additional strength to the structure.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction, I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of structure shown, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as may appear within the scopeof the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of forming a portion of a boat body from a single piece of material, consisting in rolling said piece of material into substan tialiy circular form with the edges thereof in slightly separated relation, pressing inwardly said strip of material on a longitudinally extended line, diametrically opposite the space separating the edges, to define a pair of substantially semicylindrical portions, and then doubling said portions outwardly upon each-other and bending the outer extremities thereof upwardly to provide side walls arcu'ate in cross section with the concave face directed outwardly.

2. The method of forming a portion of a boat body from a single piece of bendable metal consisting in rolling said piece of metal into substantially cylindrical form with the edges thereof slightly in spaced relation, then bending said strip of material inwardly along a line diametrically opposite the center of the space separating said edges and spreading the cylindrical portion outwardly to farther separate said ends to a predetermined distance and provide a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical portions, and then bending the edges of said semi-cylindrical portions outwardly along a longitudinally extending line substantially midway between the first line of bend and the edges to provide a bottom having arcuate portions with the concave face directed outwardly and side walls with the concave face directed outwardly.

3. The method of forming a portion of a boat body from a single piece of bendable material consisting in rolling said piece of material into substantially cylindrical form with the edges thereof slightly in spaced relation, then bending said strip of material inwardly along a line diametrically opposite the center of the space separating said edges and spreading the cylindrical portion outwardly to farther separate said ends to a predetermined distance and provide a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical portions, then bending the edges of said semi-cylindrical portions outwardly along a longitudinally extending line substantially midway between the first line of bend and the edges to provide a bottom having arcuate portions with the concave face directed outwardly and side walls with the concave face directed outwardly, and then closing the opposite ends of said body with separate pieces of material secured thereto in sealing relation.

4. The method of forming a portion of a boat body from a single piece of bendable material consisting in rolling said piece of material in substantially cylindrical portion with the edges thereof slightly in spaced relation and bending said material inwardly along a longitudinally directed line positioned diametrically opposite the center of the space separating said edges to provide a contact rib, and bending the material outwardly at opposite sides of said contact rib to a predetermined distance to provide a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical portions, and bending said portions upon themselves along a longitudinally directed line in spaced relation to said first named line to provide arcuate side walls projecting upwardly having the concave face directed outwardly.

5. The method of forming a portion of a boat body from a single piece of bendable material consisting in rolling said piece of material in substantially cylindrical portion with the edges thereof slightly in spaced relation and bending said material inwardly along -a longitudinally directed line positioned diametrically opposite the center of the space separating. said edges to provide a contact rib, and bedding the material outwardly at opposite sides of said contact rib to a predetermined distance to provide a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical portions, and bending said portions upon themselves along a longitudinally directed line in spaced relation to said first named line to provide arcuate side walls projecting upwardly having the concave face directed outwardly, and then doubling said side walls downwardly upon themselves until the edges of said material contacts with the material at the second named line of bend and securing said material along said second named lines in sealing relation to provide chambers on the opposite sides of the side walls.

- 6. The method of forming a portion of a boat body from a single piece of bendable material consisting in rolling said piece of material in substantially cylindrical portion with the edges thereof slightly in spaced relation and bending said material inwardly along a longitudinally directed line positioned diametrically opposite the center of the space separating said edges to provide a contact rib, and bending the material outwardly at opposite sides of said contact rib to a predetermined distance to provide a pair of substantially semi-cylindrical portions, and bending said portions upon themselves along a longitudinally directed line in spaced relation to said first named line to provide arcuate side walls projecting upwardly having the concave face directed outwardly, and then doubling said side walls downwardly upon themselves until the edges of said material contact with the material at the secondnamed line of bend and securing said material along said second named lines in sea]- ing relation to provide chambers on the opposite sides of the side walls, and then closing the ends of said boat and the ends of said chambers with a suitable closure in sealing relation thereto.

'1. A boat, comprising: a body portion formed from a single piece of material and embodying arcuate side wall-forming portions curved transversely of the length of said boat and having the concave face directed outwardly and arcuate bottom-forming portions curved transversely of the length of said boat and having the arcuate face curved outwardly: an extension projecting from the upper edge ,of each of said side wallforming portions doubled over upon its side wallforming portion and sealed thereto along its edges to provide an air chamber; a closure for the rear end of said boat engaging the rear ends of said side walls and said bottom in sealing relation: and means engaging the forward ends of said side walls and said bottom forming portion in sealing relation for closing the forward end thereof.

MARK L. GILBERT. 

